“What’s your naked policy?” Colt asks me.
I pause, eyeing him as he walks across the room with his toiletry bag in hand. “I don’t want to see your dick.”
“But my ass is okay?”
“I’m not excited about it, but yeah.”
He chuckles. “You’re the first person to tell me that.”
“What’s Tyus’ policy?”
“We let it all hang out. We’re brothers, Trey. Brothers share everything.”
“Yeah, well, I’m an only child. I don’t share shit.”
“You and Matthews should be bunking together. You could draw a line down the center of the room and sit on your beds in silence.”
“As long as he’s dressed, I’d be fine with that.”
“You’re lame, Domata, but I like you!” he calls from the bathroom. “You remind me of my grandma.”
“I’m younger than you, asshole!”
“You’d never know it listening to you.”
He closes the door, kicking the shower on. This is probably my best shot at privacy.
I go to the window across the room and dial Sloane’s cell. She picks up immediately.
“I was starting to worry you fell asleep,” she teases.
“I’m in a room with Colt this trip. I had to wait for him to go to the bathroom.”
“How long do you have?”
“Not long. He’s in the shower.”
“Okay, we’ll be quick. I need Tish’s full name.”
I lower my voice, turning to face the window. “Patricia Leighton.”
“What state is her driver’s license most likely issued out of?”
“Minnesota.” I clench my jaw, feeling my anxiety start to rise. “I’ll call her. I have her number.”
“You absolutely will not call her,” Sloane replies sternly. “Delete her number from your phone. You don’t know her anymore, do you hear me?”
“I have to do something. She’s blackmailing me, for fuck’s sake,” I hiss angrily.
“I know that, and I’m taking care of it.”
“If this gets out my endorsements will dry up.”
“And if you call her, you’ll only add fuel to their fire. Leave it alone. Let me put it out.”
“You mean passenger.”
“Don’t you trust me to drive yet?”
I groan, or growl, closing my eyes. “Yeah, I trust you.”
“Then let me do my job. Did Tish graduate with you?”
“No, this is her senior year.”
“Perfect.”
“Why is that a good thing?”
“Because she’s still in town. It also means I have leverage.”
“What are you gonna do?”
Sloane sighs, and I can almost see her sitting back in her chair behind her desk, all of Los Angeles glowing in the evening light at her back. “I’m running background checks tonight. Tish I’m pretty sure I can reason with, but David is a loose cannon. He’s desperate and angry. I’ll have to find something solid on him.”
“Solid like illegal?”
“Exactly, and if he’s willing to blackmail you like this, I’m guessing it’s not his first offense. I’ll find something on him. Don’t worry.”
“Are you going to threaten him?”
“Do you not want me to?”
“I want to beat his ass.”
Sloane chuckles. “Let’s try reasoning with him first. Save your hand for the Dolphins.”
I let my head fall forward against the cold glass between me and the city. It’s warm on the other side. Sultry hot and sweaty in the city. There are bodies out there. Beautiful bodies, tanned and toned, looking for fun. I could burn this anxiety from my system. I could pull in girls with Colt like fish from the overabundant ocean just outside the door. It’d be easy. It’d be relaxing, exactly what I need.
So what’s stopping me?
“Trey?”
“I miss you,” I tell her bluntly, surprising us both. “I wish you were here for this one.”
“You’re stressed,” she acknowledges evenly. Unemotionally.
“It’s not that.”
“Be real. It’s a little bit that.”
“Okay, yeah, it’s a lot that, but it’s you too. Doesn’t that count for something?”
She pauses, leaving my heart hanging in the air. Waiting.
“It counts for a lot,” she answers softly.
“Tell me you miss me too.”
“I miss you too.”
“Tell me you wish you were here with me.”
“I wish I was there with you. I wish I could make things easier for you.”
“How?” I demand, my blood and body rising. “Tell me how?”
“I’d lay with you. Just lay with you, that’s all.”
I smirk. “We’re not very good at that.”
“No, but when we manage it, it’s amazing.”
“What do you smell like?” I ask suddenly.
She laughs. “What?”
“Is it perfume?”
“I don’t wear perfume.”
“But you smell like something. Almost like a dude.”
“Oh, I know what you mean. It’s my deodorant.”
“What is it?”
“Old Spice.”
“You wear men’s deodorant?” I chuckle.
“I like the way it smells,” she replies, unimpressed with my reaction.
I love that about her; how unapologetic she is. How totally comfortable in her sweet, soft skin she is.